Do You Actually Know What These British Idioms and Common Phrases Mean?

By: Isadora Teich

Image: Ben Pipe Photography / Cultura / Getty Images

About This Quiz

British English has been quite influential in the world, from Europe to New Zealand to North America to India, but how it's spoken around the world differs. In fact, even from one side of London to the other, the way people speak the same language can sound totally different. The slang, idioms and phrases used throughout the U.K. can differ from city to city and country to country. It can be hard to get a handle on all of the wacky phrases and sayings that are unique to British English.

British English is known for its many fun and quirky idioms that are definitely completely British. Whether you are a total anglophile or merely curious, you probably have heard of some of these sayings and idioms. So, are you the bee's knees? Are you ready to take on this quiz, or are you a few sandwiches short of a picnic when it comes to common British sayings?

Are you ready to pull an absolute bloody blinder? Or will the phrases in this quiz leave you absolutely knackered? Put yourself to the test and see how well you really know some of the more fun expressions in British English with this proper English quiz!

When someone "over-eggs the pudding," they have overworked something to the extent that they have ruined it. As an analogy, it refers to over-mixing or working batter, which leads to desserts with a poor texture. Note that the British use "pudding" to describe a number of sweet and savory dishes.

If you know someone who is incredibly easy to upset or anger, and you have to carefully monitor yourself to make sure that you don't say or do the wrong thing, then you have to "tiptoe on broken glass" around them. You don't want to get cut!

This phrase means "give me a call" and is sometimes shortened to "give me a tinkle." While it might seem off to English speakers in other parts of the world, "blower" refers to a communication device that was used on British naval ships before phones were invented.

"Bog" is British slang for toilet. Something described as "bog-standard" has no frills or extras, so it is the unglamorous and ordinary necessary minimum. A person might describe a hostel room or an old car in this way.

When someone runs off or disappears without a trace, they have "done a Lord Lucan." This is in reference to Richard John Bingham, 7th Earl of Lucan, who disappeared in the 1970s after being suspected of murder.

This old idiom dates back to nineteenth-century England. It is used when smog creates a thick fog with an unnatural tinge. Over the centuries, London has struggled with pollution issues as it has become more and more populated.

If someone lacks in intelligence or logical decision-making, they might be described as "a few sandwiches short of a picnic." The first documented use of this phrase was in the BBC's "Lenny Henry Christmas Special" in 1987, but it was likely in use long before that.

You can use the word "dench" the same way you would use the word "cool," as both an adjective and response to a question or situation. It's thought that this word was created by the British rapper Lethal Bizzle, who claims that the word can mean anything you want.

When someone has "caught the lurgy," they have either a cold or the flu. It is thought that this might have come from the word "allergy." It originates from a 1950s British TV show called "The Goon Show."

The word "mint" is used roughly the same way in both the U.S. and the U.K. If something is in mint condition it is in excellent condition. Something that is mint in the U.K. is generally of very high quality.

To "nick" something means to steal it, in British slang. However, "the nick" is also slang for jail. No one is precisely sure how these slang words got their start, but it might be confusing for U.S. English speakers named Nicholas or Nicole who go by Nick.

British people have a reputation for being quite buttoned up. In the past, especially, it was considered a breach of propriety to talk about your personal life outside of closed doors, which is what this saying refers to.

Someone who is "going spare" is so angry that they are doing things that many people would consider kind of crazy. For example, if your partner is mad that you didn't do the dishes, so they start breaking them, they would definitely be going spare.

While this idiom might sound funny to American English speakers, it is not so funny in England. If someone gives you stick, they either criticize or punish you. This may be a reference to common corporal punishments of the past, which often involved hitting people with sticks.

You don't want to have a single banana skin. Something that is embarrassing can be described in this way. It can also refer to something that causes problems. This term is less commonly used in modern British English.

Someone who looks like they have "been in the wars" looks rough, hurt or like they have been through some kind of significant struggle. This British phrase is an exaggeration, referring to the horrors of war.

In the U.K., they say, "Life is not all beer and skittles," which means that life is not only about enjoyment and pursuing pleasure. "Skittles" refers to a pub game here, not to the popular candy. In the U.S., an equivalent phrase would be "Life is not all fun and games."

A "champagne socialist" is a mocking term for a wealthy person who says they have left-wing views. It is especially used when that person holds those views very shallowly or does not act in a way that lines up with the values they talk about.

This phrase, "the bee's knees," was popular in the U.S. in the early 20th century, but it actually has British origins. It was first documented in the U.K. in the 18th century, when it was used to refer to the small details. Today it means something is good or desirable.

"Bloody" is a quintessentially British word with disputed origins. Someone might say a dessert is "bloody good" or that they are "bloody tired." It was actually considered profanity until about the middle of the 20th century.